The Republicans used to be the party of (relatively) free-traders in this country, recognizing that when it comes to manufacturing, nations ought to make what nations can make the best: most efficiently, with a quality and a price that makes consumers around the world prefer that commodity as compared with similar stuff made in another country.
Your country will make something else more efficiently, because of labor- and commodity-price differences, because of access to raw materials, because of education and technology. You will therefore prosper, and be able to sell to and buy from other countries.
There were always exceptions, of course. The GOP-leaning management and ownership of a big Pennsylvania steel company was likely to applaud White House moves to put tariffs on South Korean or Chinese steel, shoring up their own business, at the same time as they would be in theory at least against the creation of trade wars.
